Jesus Before the Gospels: How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed, and Invented Their Stories of the Savior

Throughout much of human history, our most important stories were passed down orally - including the stories about Jesus before they became written down in the Gospels. In this fascinating and deeply researched work, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Erhman investigates the role oral history has played in the New Testament - how the telling of these stories not only spread Jesus' message but helped shape it.

Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible

Picking up where Bible expert Bart Ehrman's New York Times best seller, Misquoting Jesus, left off, Jesus, Interrupted addresses the larger issue of what the New Testament actually teaches...and it's not what most people think. This is the book that pastors, educators, and anyone interested in the Bible have been waiting for, a clear and compelling account of the central challenges we face when attempting to reconstruct the life and message of Jesus.

Misquoting Jesus

When world-class biblical scholar Bart Ehrman first began to study the texts of the Bible in their original languages he was startled to discover the multitude of mistakes and intentional alterations that had been made by earlier translators. In Misquoting Jesus, Ehrman tells the story behind the mistakes and changes that ancient scribes made to the New Testament and shows the great impact they had upon the Bible we use today.

Lost Christianities: The Battles of Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew

The early Christian Church was a chaos of contending beliefs. Some groups of Christians claimed that there was not one God but two or twelve or thirty. Some believed that the world had not been created by God but by a lesser, ignorant deity. Certain sects maintained that Jesus was human but not divine, while others said he was divine but not human.

Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend

Bart Ehrman, author of the best sellers Misquoting Jesus and Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code, here takes listeners on another engaging tour of the early Christian church, illuminating the lives of three of Jesus' most intriguing followers: Simon Peter, Paul of Tarsus, and Mary Magdalene.

How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee

In a book that took eight years to research and write, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Ehrman explores how an apocalyptic prophet from the backwaters of rural Galilee crucified for crimes against the state came to be thought of as equal with the one God Almighty Creator of all things. Ehrman sketches Jesus's transformation from a human prophet to the Son of God exalted to divine status at his resurrection. Only when some of Jesus's followers had visions of him after his death - alive again - did anyone come to think that he, the prophet from Galilee, had become God.

Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth

Large numbers of atheists, humanists, and conspiracy theorists are raising one of the most pressing questions in the history of religion: "Did Jesus exist at all?" Was he invented out of whole cloth for nefarious purposes by those seeking to control the masses? Or was Jesus such a shadowy figure - far removed from any credible historical evidence - that he bears no meaningful resemblance to the person described in the Bible? In Did Jesus Exist? historian and Bible expert Bart Ehrman confronts these questions, vigorously defends the historicity of Jesus, and provides a compelling portrait of the man from Nazareth.

Forged: Writing in the Name of God - Why the Bible's Authors Are Not Who We Think They Are

It is often said, even by critical scholars who should know better, that “writing in the name of another” was widely accepted in antiquity. But New York Times bestselling author Bart D. Ehrman dares to call it what it was: literary forgery, a practice that was as scandalous then as itis today. In Forged, Ehrman’s fresh and original research takes readers back to the ancient world, where forgeries were used as weapons by unknown authors to fend off attacks to their faith and establish their church.

The New Testament

Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.

The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics

Who is Satan in the New Testament, and what is the evil that he represents? In this groundbreaking book, Elaine Pagels, Princeton's distinguished historian of religion, traces the evolution of Satan from its origins in the Hebrew Bible, where Satan is at first merely obstructive, to the New Testament, where Satan becomes the Prince of Darkness, the bitter enemy of God and man, evil incarnate. In The Origin of Satan, Pagels shows that the four Christian gospels tell two very different stories.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Whether complete or only fragmentary, the 930 extant Dead Sea Scrolls irrevocably altered how we look at and understand the foundations of faith and religious practice. Now you can get a comprehensive introduction to this unique series of archaeological documents, and to scholars' evolving understanding of their authorship and significance, with these 24 lectures. Learn what the scrolls are, what they contain, and how the insights they offered into religious and ancient history came into focus.

Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics

"Arguably the most distinctive feature of the early Christian literature," writes Bart Ehrman, "is the degree to which it was forged." The Homilies and Recognitions of Clement; Paul's letters to and from Seneca; Gospels by Peter, Thomas, and Philip; Jesus' correspondence with Abgar, letters by Peter and Paul in the New Testament - all forgeries. To cite just a few examples.

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene

Perhaps no figure in biblical scholarship has been the subject of more controversy and debate than Mary Magdalene. Although she is discussed in the gospels of Philip, Thomas, Peter, and Bartholomew in the collection of writings known as the Gnostic gospels that were rejected by the early Christian church, there is no better insight into this mysterious and influential woman than Mary's own gospel.

Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code

Dan Brown's immensely popular New York Times best-selling The Da Vinci Code is one of the most successful books of recent history. It has captivated millions the world over with its enthralling suspense and its provocative questions about the true nature of Jesus' life.

The Gnostic Gospels

The Gnostic Gospels provides engaging listening for those seeking a broader perspective on the early development of Christianity. Author and noted scholar Elaine Pagels suggests that Christianity could have developed quite differently if Gnostic texts had become part of the Christian canon.

On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt

The assumption that Jesus existed as a historical person has occasionally been questioned in the course of the last hundred years or so, but any doubts that have been raised have usually been put to rest in favor of imagining a blend of the historical, the mythical, and the theological in the surviving records of Jesus. Historian and philosopher Richard Carrier reexamines the whole question and finds compelling reasons to suspect the more daring assumption is correct.

The Gospel of Thomas: A New Translation, Commentary and Comparison with the Synoptic Gospels

The Gospel of Thomas is a non-canonical scripture dating back to around 50-100 CE that was found near Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945 CE, buried in a clay jar with many other documents, all in Coptic, that collectively came to be known as the Nag Hammadi Library of Gnostic texts. A few fragments of the Gospel of Thomas in Greek had previously been found in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt at various times between 1897 CE and 1905 CE.

The Jesus Discovery: The New Archaeological Find That Reveals the Birth of Christianity

In 2010, using a specialized robotic camera, authors Tabor and Jacobovici, working with archaeologists, geologists, and forensic anthropologists, explored a previously unexcavated tomb in Jerusalem from around the time of Jesus. They made a remarkable discovery. The tomb contained several ossuaries, or bone boxes, two of which were carved with an iconic image and a Greek inscription. Taken together, the image and the inscription constitute the earliest archaeological evidence of faith in Jesus’ resurrection.

Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas

Spurred by personal tragedy, Elaine Pagels turns to a consideration of the Gnostic Gospels, in particular, the Gospel of Thomas. As opposed to the Gospel of John, which asserted that Jesus was an eternally existing aspect of God who came to earth to save humankind, the "secret" Gospel of Thomas agrees that Jesus was in some sense divine, but says that a streak of divinity can be found in all of us.

Paul and Jesus: How the Apostle Transformed Christianity

Historians know virtually nothing about the two decades following the crucifixion of Jesus, when his followers regrouped and began to spread his message. During this time the man we know as the apostle Paul joined the movement and began to preach to the gentiles. Using the oldest Christian documents that we have - the letters of Paul - as well as other early Christian sources, historian and scholar James Tabor reconstructs the origins of Christianity.

The Lost Gospel: Decoding the Ancient Text That Reveals Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene

The Lost Gospel takes listeners on an unparalleled historical adventure through a paradigm-shifting manuscript. What the authors eventually discover is astounding: confirmation of Jesus' marriage to Mary the Magdalene; the names of their two children; the towering presence of Mary the Magdalene; a previously unknown plot on Jesus' life, thirteen years prior to the crucifixion; an assassination attempt against Mary the Magdalene and their children.

The Case Against the Case for Christ: A New Testament Scholar Refutes the Reverend Lee Strobel

Leading New Testament scholar Robert M. Price has taken umbrage at the cavalier manner in which Rev. Lee Strobel has misrepresented the field of Bible scholarship in his book The Case for Christ. Price exposes and refutes Strobel's arguments chapter-by-chapter. In doing so, he has occasion to wipe out the entire field of Christian apologetics as summarized by Strobel. This book is a must-read for anyone bewildered by the various books published by Rev. Strobel.

Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity

Two celebrated scholars illustrate how the newly discovered Gospel of Judas provides a window into understanding how Jesus' followers understood his death, why Judas betrayed Jesus, and why God allowed it. Presented with the elegance, insight, and accessibility that has made Pagels and King the leading voices in this field, this is a book for academics and popular audiences alike.

Publisher's Summary

Lost for nearly 1,700 years, newly restored and authenticated, the Gospel of Judas presents a very different view of the relationship between Jesus and Judas. Rather than paint Judas as a traitor, it portrays him as acting at Jesus' request.

A National Geographic special introduced tens of millions of viewers to one of the most important biblical discoveries of modern times. Now a leading historian of the early church (and a featured commentator in the special) offers the first comprehensive account of the gospel, revealing what it contains and why it is so important for believers around the world.

Ehrman recounts the fascinating story of where and how this ancient parchment document was discovered, how it moved around among antiquities dealers, and how it came to be restored and translated. He gives a complete and clear account of what the book teaches, and he shows how it relates to other gospel texts, including the Gnostic texts of early Christianity. Finally, he describes what we can now say about the historical Judas and his relationship with Jesus.

The Gospel of Judas raises many questions. Ehrman provides illuminating and authoritative answers.

An Excellent and fascinating story revealing that some early Christians had a completely different perspective of Judas. Highly recommended for anyone interested in early Christian history.
Dennis Boutsikaris does an outstanding job at narrating; his style is warm and conversational.

Another interesting book by this author. Not as engaging as Peter Paul and Mary Magdelene but nonetheless enlightening.Try reading "Misquoting Jesus" first, then "P.P. and M.M." and then follow it with "Judas".

First Bart Ehrman assumes his readers/listeners have a brain and questions. This is not a dumbed down, you will never be able to understand this if I don't dumb it down text. In many ways it is like you the reader were having a conversation in person with the author. It is not filled with esoteric and jargonistic techno-babble. When a specialized term must be used it is defined. There is also a nice blend of how the lost gospel came to light and what it went thru as well as what the content tells us about the time it was written. If you are looking for the full text of the lost gospel you won't find it here.To repeat, if you have a brain and questions about this topic this is the book for you. I've read and listened to many of his books and they are well worth the time and money.

I strongly agree with David from Wisconsin. I believe that Bart does a better job with this subject then probably anyone else could. Several chapters are devoted to how this document was found and what happened to it after. Bart explains why this document is important and in layman's terms. He explains a lot about Gnostic teachings. At first this is fairly interesting, but later he goes into so much detail that I lost interest.

I did like the explanation about how people often combine the three Gospels, which in effect creates another gospel all together. All the gospels where written in a certain way to a certain group of people and to highlight a certain theology. When you combine them, it distorts the effect. I have narrated a lot of Easter programs for my church and have seen how that happens.

Gnostics seem to believe that the Old Testament God (Creator God) is not the same as the New Testament (Loving) God. This is an interesting concept, but from there it gets pretty weird. They seem to become the Anti-Church. They believe almost the opposite of what Christians believe.

Toward the end, Bart starts repeating himself and gets into thick details I lost interest in.

The narrator is so good, that I thought it was the author. Narrator is very comfortable to listen to.

For those of us who don't spend time reading Gnostic gospels, it is a good and interesting introduction to the history and themes and at first is very interesting but then drifts into some repetion, more and more minute internal disagreements in the field, and finally just poops out as both a book and an area of interest for the uninformed. Worth it, but just.

Professor Ehrman has done it again! He has opened another window into the inky shadows of early Christianity, this time with discovery and translation of one of the gospels not sanctioned by church authorities.

First, I will not sound like a fan of Dr. Erhman's, but I assure you that I am. You will not find a better authority on early christianity, or the persons who figure prominently in it's beginings. Bart Ehrman is, by now, known by most readers of religeous non-fiction, and is best known for works such as 'The Lost Christianities,' 'Misquoting Jesus,' and 'Truth & Fiction In The DaVinci Code.' His latest offering is an account of his part in bringing to life the lost gospel of Judas Iscariot. He spends about half the time to retrace Judas' history, as we know it, and to solidify what little truths we can gleen from the information. Turns out that this "Lost Gospel," is another discovery of Gnostic Literature. I was disheartened when I heard that, as some outlandish themes were bound to be included in the documents. Turns out that I was right! In this gospel, Judas is portrayed as a Demi-God, and not the low life that he is in the Cannonical Gospels. Jesus claims that sacrificing the mortal part of the messiah will earn him a high place in another plane of existence. Jesus laughs at the other apostles for paying homage to what he considers the wrong God. I do not even have enough room to explain Gnosticism, but you can gleen that it isn't even a close offshoot of Christianity. If you are interested in the Gnostics, Elaine Pagels has the best book out there, which Audible does carry. It is called, 'The Gnostic Gospels.' The problem with Bart Erhman's book is that it is quite redundant, expecially for those that have read any of the other surviving Gnostic Texts. I found myself screaming, "Not another one!" Currently, there are at least 3 books out there, just on this theme. If your looking for something fresh and new, this isn't it. If your looking for something plausible, this isn't it. If you like Bart Ehrman and you want to hear some background history about Judas Iscariot, this is your book. Want to experience some
Gnosticism, this is your book.

Not because of the content around the Gospel of Judas. I generally find gnostic mumbo jumbo boring and that chapter was just that. No fault to Erhman. But the ancient and modern history he brings out was fascinating. The last two chapters were the best. Books that shift the way you look at the world or blow your mind are the best. Best ive ever read from him was lost Christianities

This listen is very imformative and tells the story of how the gospel was found and finally realised. The story of the parchment is more interesting than what it actually says about Judas and Jesus. Obviously there would be no Christianity without Judas and he was probably Jesus' fave disciple. An enjoyable listen. Recommended.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

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